Past Memories
by Shiroyami Ei
Summary: Two years after the mysterious disappearance of Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata, two mysterious figures arrive in Konoha. They encounter the Akatsuki's new reformed ranks, and are put on trails testing their bonds, both old and new. 3rd genre: Tragedy
1. Prologue

**So, whatever, people, I'm makin a story and stuff, so... well whatever. Review and stuff. Peace.**

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was bored out of his skull. Granny Tsunade had sent him on some boring mission with Hyuuga Hinata to investigate a reported disturbance just south of Konoha village. So far, they had circled the area once and found nothing. Hinata had requested in her awkward stutter-y way that they go around just once more, and though the idea of orbiting around a square mile of boring stupid land wasn't particularly inviting to Naruto, he always made sure to honor anything Hinata asked or said, if for no other reason than to encourage the shy girl to speak.

He glanced at his friend. She was really pretty cute. Beautiful, in fact, but her shyness always distanced her from the guys. Naruto suspected that Kiba had a thing for her, but wasn't absolutely sure. Hinata always acted different around him, either extra-shy or unusually bold. He didn't understand it, but hey, a lot of people seemed to catch his determined spirit, so he thought nothing of it.

All of a sudden, an explosion shook the whole area. Naruto saw Hinata stumble, and in a flash was beside her, catching her as she fell. He helped her up, not noticing her deep blush.

"Hinata, are you okay?"

She nodded, and they were abut to find the cause of the explosion when the cause found _them_.

Barreling towards them was a giant creature unlike Naruto had ever seen. And the creature seemed to be headed... straight... for... them. Naruto's first thought was to protect Hinata. Stepping in front of her, he formed a Kage Bunshin seal. A single clone appeared next to him.

"Hinata-chan, stand back," the clone ordered gently. She could only nod.

The person dashed at them, then all of a sudden disappeared. Naruto redirected his attention to the giant beast in front of him. Naruto extended his hand, focusing his energy. The creature had now decided that Naruto and Hinata looked like better targets than one person. It charged, letting out a roar that felt like a hot gust of wind. But Naruto didn't flinch. His clone began spinning the energy that Naruto had focused in his palm. It soon turned into a glowing blue orb. The creature was coming closer... closer... almost in range...

"RASENGAN!!!" Naruto thrust the chakra sphere into the gaping maw of the monster. The force of the collision sent waves of pain through his ram, but he pressed on. The beast resisted, but eventually Naruto's signature technique won out. The monster disintegrated, leaving Naruto confused and Hinata paralyzed in shock.

"Hinata? You okay?" She shook herself out of the trance.

"H-hai."

Naruto's tense muscles relaxed. "I'm glad that's over."

He spoke too soon. As he ended the sentence, several more of the creatures appeared out of nowhere. He and Hinata stood back to back, ready to fight. The beasts attacked. The two were a blur, gentle fist and Kage Bunshin left and right. They made a good combo, but the creatures seemed endless.

"Hinata," Naruto panted. "We need to retreat. There's too many. These things are too strong... we need to regroup."

She nodded. "But how?"

"I'm going to use my rasengan to clear a path. As soon as it's clear, run through. I'll be right behind you."

Naruto created a chakra ball once more. "RASENGAN!"

Hinata dashed through the opening, followed by Naruto, fending off the whatever-they-weres so Hinata could get out. Hinata glanced back to see a monster sneak up behind Naruto. The world moved in slow motion. Without thinking, she dove towards the blond-haired teen, knocking him out of the way. She, unfortunately, was crushed by the monster's barrel fist.

Naruto stared in shock at what had just happened. He screamed Hinata's name, but it felt like no sound was coming out. Perhaps no audible sound could express all the emotions he felt at that time. He only saw Hinata. Hinata at the academy, shy as ever; Hinata on missions. Hinata at the Chuunin Exams, offering him ointment. Him rooting her on; the courage she gained from it. Them talking before the final round. All the awkward moments between them. All of it came rushing back to him.

"HiinaaataAAAAA**AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" **He felt the Nine-tails's chakra course through him, strengthening him and healing his wounds.

**"You will pay for this..." **His teeth sharpened to fangs, his fingernails becoming claws. His vision warped, and increased greatly. He could smell the monsters from there. It was a disgusting, filthy smell.

The monster that had hit Hinata charged. So did Naruto. WHAM!!!!! His punch connected solidly with the creature's jaw, sending it flying in to a rock, where it disintegrated. The others advanced, but one roar was enough to send them scurrying into the woods. Naruto felt the Fox's chakra recede back into the seal in his stomach, and he suddenly was exhausted. He fell to his knees, and his vision began to fade to blackness.

"Hinata...-chan..." Naruto collapsed next to her.

* * *

When Naruto woke up, his head was still throbbing. It was then he realized where he was. Lying in Hinata's lap. He shifted, alerting Hinata to his regaining of consciousness.

"N-naruto-kun!" she stammered. "I'm sorry. I-"

"No, it's okay," he said, rolling over to look at her. "Some day, huh?"

She giggled. Naruto had never heard her giggle before. He decided immediately he liked the sound.

"Naruto-kun, it's three days later."

"Three days?" He tried to recall what had happened.

Then he remembered his newfound crush on Hinata. How was he supposed to tell her? He wanted to as soon as possible; his feelings were incredibly strong all of a sudden, and he didn't know if he could contain himself.

"Hinata..." He changed his mind at the last second, and looked for something else to say.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?"

"Um, how are you not injured?"

She looked away. "I don't know... I-I woke up, just for a second, and remember touching your hand as we lay there. It glowed red, and the red flowed into me. I blacked out again, and when I woke up, I was healed." She looked back to Naruto. "What was that red stuff?"

It was Naruto's turn to lie. "I don't know." He hated to lie, but he couldn't let anyone know about the Fox. Still, how had the red chakra healed Hinata? It wasn't compatible with anyone but him.

"Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"There's something that's been bugging me for a while."

Naruto glanced questioningly at Hinata. "What is it?"

"I-I think I... have..." Hinata took a deep breath, like saying it was difficult. "Naruto-kun, I... think I'm..."

Naruto was confused. "You're what?"

"Naruto-kun, I-I'm in love with you!" she burst out. Naruto stared in shock. _She's been in love with me? For how long? How did I not notice?_

"Ever since the Academy I've loved you. You were always so... different, so noticeable. You were always happy, and made me feel happy being around you. I wanted you to feel the same." Hinata couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her own mouth.

"Hinata..." Naruto looked into her eyes. They were strangely beautiful, with their lovely lavender irises and no pupils. It's like they were whole worlds, endless beauty. He was getting lost in them. He barely noticed their faces getting closer. There was almost no space between them, then none at all.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered, barely believing what was happening. Their lips touched. Hinata could've sworn she was flying.

Finally they had to pull apart. Hinata gasped, realizing that at some point during their kiss she'd forgotten she needed to breath.

"Hinata, I love you too." Naruto's sparkling blue eyes blocked out everything but him. Words couldn't describe how happy Hinata was. She tried to speak, but ended up just kissing him again. Once again, they had to break apart so Hinata could regain her ability to inhale.

"You're going to have to work on that," Naruto teased. Hinata collapsed against his chest, listening to his heart beat, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest. She had never felt so full of energy or completely peaceful at the same time. It was exhilarating and exhausting. Naruto rested his head on hers, kissing her gently and inhaling the scent of her hair. They stayed like this for some time, in absolute silence, a part of them still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

At long last, Naruto lifted his head. "Hinata-chan, we should go back to the village before they start to worry."

"You're right," she agreed. But then another thought struck her. "Naruto-kun, how do we tell the others? They might not understand. And Father really doesn't like you."

Naruto remembered how Hiashi had shunned him because of the Fox. The man hadn't said that was the reason but Naruto could see it in his eyes. The hatred he'd been scourged with all his life.

"We'll have to make him understand somehow."

She hugged him tight. "I don't want to leave you again! I know! We can run away!"

"Run away?" Naruto seemed uncertain.

"Of course! Nobody can oppose our decision then." Hinata's mind was twisted with love. She didn't realize the possible risks of her suggestion.

Unfortunately, neither did Naruto.

"That's a great idea!" he said. "Let's do it. We need to leave quickly, though, before they start searching for us."

The two lovers gathered some supplies and set off, not even looking back.

* * *

**So, that's the prologue. Read and Review, thanks!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hi! I'm back. So, read already. I have nothing important to say.**

* * *

The two people stood at the gate of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Konohagakure. They were very out of place. Wearing almost identical black clothing, they almost looked like ANBU members. They both wore sleeveless jackets with hoods, and their faces were covered by white masks with colorful markings. They each carried shuriken pouches and other weapons. The bigger one, a male about 6 feet tall, wore baggy black pants, and had a scroll strapped to his back, along with a dagger strapped behind his right shoulder. The second and smaller one, obviously female, wore short shorts, and her jacket didn't quite reach her waist. Needless to say, she drew the attention of every man in the village.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Na-hime?"

"Hai, Toh-chan."

They were stopped by someone the man named Toh seemed to know. A young man with raven-black hair and distinguished red eyes stood in front of them.

"Names, please."

"Well, well, Uchiha Sasuke," Toh mused. "I'm sorry, but that's none of your business."

"Actually, it is. At Konoha we keep a record of everyone who enters or leaves these gates. So I'll be needing your names."

"Having trouble, Sasuke?" another voice chimed in. Nara Shikamaru walked up, along with his fiance Temari from the Sand village.

"These two aren't responding well to the regulations." Sasuke held out his hand and lightning coursed through it. "I might need help taking them down."

All of a sudden, the mysterious woman broke into the conversation. "Please forgive Toh, here. He was being a bit rude. My name is Na."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "Strange names. What're your family names?"

"We have no family names, though we are married," Toh responded.

Shikamaru looked even more suspicious, but then shrugged it off. "Ah, well, it's not our business. Besides, it's troublesome." He walked away, mumbling about being tired. Temari scolded him for being lazy, and he laughed, which got him a whack on the head.

"They make a cute couple," Na remarked.

"Sure do," Toh chuckled.

"What was that?" Sasuke asked. He was still suspicious, but he couldn't ask any more and require a response. They had given their names, after all. No rule forced then to pour out their full biographies to him.

"Uchiha, don't be so nosy," the woman named Na scolded. She reminded him of someone, but he couldn't think of who. The man, too, seemed familiar. Sasuke tried to ignore his curiosity, and walked away from the odd couple. His old teammate, Sakura, ran up to him.

"Hey Sasuke, wanna go out?"

"Pass."

"C'mon. We usually have fun."

"No thanks."

His girlfriend (yes, she's his girl now) studied him. "What's wrong?" She could always tell when something was troubling him, even through his immense facade of emotionlessness. Perhaps that's why he liked her. Or the fact that she could kick his ass.

"These two people I met at the gate. Named Toh and Na. They reminded me of some people, but I couldn't remember who." He puzzled over it. "Come to think of it, they had no distinguishing features, just their personalities."

"What did they look like?" Sakura was already interested. She had developed a thing for mysteries, and loved trying to figure things out.

"I couldn't tell. They both wore masks and hoods. One was a guy, and he was definitely physically fit, but not super-muscular. The other was a girl and she was like, well..." He cupped his hands about six inches from his chest and widened his eyes for emphasis. Sakura smacked him.

"Well, I'm only telling the truth!" Sasuke protested. "They were like that big!"

Sakura tried not to punch Sasuke through a wall. "Yes," she said through clenched teeth, "I think we quite understand how big her breasts were. Move on, please."

"Sorry." Sasuke explained all that had happened. Sakura couldn't figure it out.

"I guess they're the kind of people you have to meet to understand," Sasuke sighed. "Oh, well. See ya later, Sakura."

"Bye, honey. Can I sleep at your apartment tonight?"

"I guess."

Sasuke waved as he walked away from Sakura. He strolled along the streets until he came to Kiba's house, where some of the guys had decided to have a party. As he walked in, he was greeted warmly. Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji, Lee, Neji, and even Sai, Naruto's replacement, were there.

"Hey Sasuke, I heard how you met a hot chick this afternoon at the gate," Kiba laughed.

Sasuke grinned. "Hey, guys, she's married, so you can't have her."

"We never said we were going after her," Kiba said. "We just heard abut her rack. Care to enlighten us?"

Sasuke shook his head and joined in the conversation. Sasuke had never really been one for parties before, but ever since Naruto had left, he'd ended up filling the idiot's shoes as the friendly, all-around one who made everyone laugh. He knew he couldn't replace his old rival, but it made him feel a part of Naruto was still there.

"So, Sasuke," Shikamaru asked. "How're things going with Sakura?"

"Okay, I guess." He shrugged. "We have our arguments, but we usually forgive each other."

"I envy you, my friend," Lee commented. "I still love Sakura."

"How're small boobs working for ya?" Kiba laughed.

Sasuke felt insulted by the remark. "Sakura's not completetely flat-chested."

"I'm just messin with ya, man," Kiba chuckled. "You're lucky and all. You have a steady girl. Me, I'm still looking."

"Too bad Hinata isn't here," Sasuke said.

Kiba shook his head. "Too shy. She was Naruto's girl anyway."

It was then that it struck Sasuke. Those two people... they reminded him of Naruto and Hinata. Could it be...? But that was impossible! Naruto and Hinata had been reported dead over two years ago. The bodies had never been found, but ash in the surrounding area had alluded to the possibility they had died in the strange explosion and burned up. So it couldn't be them. Could it?

"Gotta go, guys." Sasuke abruptly left. Neji watched him walk away.

"What's gotten into him?" Neji hadn't seen Sasuke so on edge in a long time. "Oh, well, I suppose he's just pullling a Uchiha." Pulling a Uchiha was a term that was invented to describe Sasuke's spontaneous decisions to do something without letting anyone know exactly what it was he was trying to accomplish.

And indeed this was spontaneous. But if Sasuke's seemingly improbable guess was correct... Well, it would shed a new light on things. Everyone had grieved for their two friends, and Sasuke had spent time in denial. The Naruto he knew wouldn't have lost to something as trivial as death. The impulsive kid had showed many times that he didn't fear anything, and always kept going. Naruto wouldn't have lost to a simple fire; he would've arrived back at the village half dead and at the brink of unconsciousness, carrying Hinata on his back, and have managed to make some smart comment to Sasuke before passing out.

But after two months of searching for some sort of clue, Sasuke was forced to accept the grim reality. His friend was dead. And now, he had one last thread of hope to hang on to, and he wasn't going to give up on it, ever, because that was Naruto's ninja way. Sasuke quickly proceeded to the Hokage building, and went to look in the library. The guard stopped him, but Sasuke needed only to flash his ANBU identification card and the guard stepped aside. ANBU were a bit above the law, and had full access to all records and data so they could effectively research any target they had assigned to them at the time. If it had happened, it was filed in the Konoha library, and ANBU had access to it. Sasuke began searching through the records.

* * *

It was almost 10:00 in the evening when Sakura found her boyfriend asleep in the library. As Tsunade's student she, too, could use any information in the library, but she mostly used it for medical research. Sasuke liked to do things without the help of others' information, and this was probably one of the first times he'd exercised his rights to the vast amounts of data available to him. Nobody but Sakura, as she was Tsunade's direct subordinate, knew of Sasuke's involvement in ANBU.

Sakura shook Sasuke awake. He opened one eye, looking at her sleepily.

"Hi Sakura-chan, what's up?"

She laughed. "You're cute when you're sleepy, you know that."

He groaned and lifted his head, yawning. "So why're you here?"

"Looking for you. I went to the apartment, but you weren't there. I searched everywhere, but this was the last place I'd think to find you." She raised an eyebrow. "So what were you looking for?"

Then Sasuke remembered; the two strangers, Naruto, Hinata, and his research project. He had to continue! He hurriedly dove back into his work. Sakura waited expectantly.

"So?"

"What?"

Sakura smiled. "Are you that absorbed in this that you forgot my question? What did you come here to research?"

"Oh, sorry." Sasuke sighed. "I-I think I might've found a clue to Naruto's death." He didn't want to get Sakura's hopes up so he left things simple. "I'm looking for the records of deaths."

Sakura tried to think of where that was. "I usually research other things, not like official records. I'm not familiar with their location." She exhaled deeply. "I wish I had. But, to quote our lazy friend, it's troublesome. I guess it's worth it, though, if it means that much to you. And it's for Naruto." She sat on his knee, and the two began sorting through old files together. As the hours passed, Sakura was the one who fell asleep, dozing on Sasuke's shoulder as he continued on.

* * *

Two days later, Sasuke still hadn't found any information. He'd been sorting for days on end. He wanted to stop, but ever time he thought about it, he would tell himself that Naruto wouldn't have given up if it was Sasuke that had died. He wanted to surpass his old rival in every way, and determination was something Naruto still had him beat in.

Then, he found it. After 48 hours, he found it. A file in the back of the drawer containing death records. It was marked "Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata." Exuberant at finally getting some results, he pulled it out and opened it to find... nothing. The file was empty. There was nothing. No data no, names, not even a fingerprint.

Something caught Sasuke's eye. Down in the corner of the file folder, he saw a small symbol, that of a tree's roots. Roots. Where had he seen that stamp before? Wait... roots. That could only be... _him._ That man, the one who made the foundation for Sasuke's special unit the ANBU. Sasuke knew that this was more than it seemed. Why would that man remove files on two dead teenagers? Sasuke stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of it all. He decided to go to Tsunade. Surely the Hokage would know something.

He proceeded to her office upstairs, and knocked on the large doors. He was greeted by Shizune. "Oh, Sasuke. The Hokage's a little busy-"

Sasuke interrupted. "It's about Naruto."

Shizuna stared, wide-eyed. She then said something to Tsunade, and let him into the room. Tsunade sat behind her desk, a look of interest on her face.

"Sasuke, you have news for me? On Naruto?"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama. I have uncovered a bit of information." He bowed slightly, then proceeded to tell her all about his discovery of the stamp in the empty file. She listened carefully, then nodded.

"It's not surprising that Danzou is involved in this." Danzou was the leader of ROOT, the organization that ANBU was founded on. "He must have some reason to hide Naruto's files."

"But why?" Sasuke inquired. "What does he find so interesting about Naruto?"

Tsunade sighed. She looked to Shizune, who nodded. The Hokage then gazed seriously at Sasuke. "I suppose you'd learn eventually anyway."

"Learn what?"

Sighing again, she forced herself to say the words that had been prohibited by the 3rd Hokage. "Naruto is the container for the Nine-tailed Fox."

Sasuke stared, barely able to comprehend what he'd just heard. Tsunade continued. "You all are taught that seventeen years ago, Yondaime Hokage defeated the Nine-Tailed Fox at the cost of his own life. What you weren't told was the fact that he defeated it by sealing it inside an infant."

"You mean..."

"Yes," Tsunade smiled grimly. "The infant Uzumaki Naruto." She looked out the window over the village as the sun was setting. "I understand you had a few run-ins with the Fox's chakra in your time in Team 7. The incident at the Great Naruto Bridge, and also that time in the Forest of Death where you were fighting Orochimaru."

Sasuke nodded. "There was another time, too. At the Final Valley, when I was going to Orochimaru..." He rubbed the curse seal on his neck. "Naruto used the Fox's power like I'd never seen before. It covered him like a protective layer of chakra." He chuckled to himself. "Kicked my ass all over that waterfall. That's probably the only reason I'm still in the village."

Tsunade eyed him. "You aren't still chasing after that snake of a human, are you?"

"No, ma'am. And even if I did, Naruto would probably find some way to come back from the dead and knock me out of it."

"Good." She shook her head. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but the only benefit of Naruto's death was the loss of the Fox."

Sasuke felt angry at her insult towards his friend, but he understood her statement. The Fox had killed hundreds of people on its rampage through the countryside. Sasuke then remembered the strangers he met. He immediately told Tsunade all of what he knew, including how the pair reminded him of Naruto and Hinata. But Tsunade didn't find this interesting so much as alarming. When he was done she looked thoroughly worried.

"Ma'am, is something wrong with those two?"

"I'll say it is." Tsunade practically threw a file at Sasuke. He opened it and was shocked by what he read.

"They're both criminals?"

"Yes, very infamous ones, too. Assassins, spies, mercenaries. S-Rank. They should be in your bingo book, if you want to read more."

"But what do we have to be worried about? They're just stopping by it seems."

Tsunade was already on edge. "Don't you get it? With their record, there would be only a few reasons to come here, and at the top of the list is the assassination of the Hokage. Me."

Sasuke was shocked, but didn't have much time to be. A hissing sound came out of nowhere, and Sasuke recognized a new smell. "Poison gas," he commented. He, Tsunade, and Shizune held their breath, and he put on his ANBU mask, which was painted to look a bit like a falcon. He pulled out his katana, and prepared to attack any intruders. Sasuke cursed under his breath. Of all timing, right after he learned there was a danger to the Hokage's safety, there was an attack.

The door suddenly burst open, and the man named Toh appeared, dashing at Sasuke from the poison mist. Sasuke barely countered, even with his Sharingan on. The man disappeared again into the poisonous mist. _Stupid gas! I can't use my Sharingan if I can't see him!_ He heard movement behind him, and spun around, swinging his katana to defend. Toh charged Sasuke and drew his dagger; it glowed with red energy. The two clashed, and Sasuke tried desperately to overpower the stranger, but the assassin's chakra-powered blade easily won out. Sasuke stared in disbelief as his blade snapped in two before the mercenary's onslaught. He leapt back, but wasn't able to avoid a receiving a huge gash across his stomach. It wasn't deep, but it was bleeding pretty heavily, and Sasuke was thankful that the man wasn't using a sword, or he'd have been dead right there. Sasuke dodged Toh's next attack, easily seeing through it with his Sharingan, and he punched the man in the stomach, pressing him to a wall. Sasuke took his broken sword and jammed it through the man's shoulder, pinning him to the wall. It was over. Sasuke was running out of oxygen; even his ANBU training wasn't enough to let him hold his breath forever. Two minutes was his max. He had to open a window.

Too late he realized what he'd missed. There were two assassins. Only one had attacked. The other was still-

The glass on one of the windows broke as a figure burst into the room. WHOOMPH! The girl named Na delivered a devastating kick to Sasuke's midsection, knocking the breath out of him. He was sent flying back into a wall. The poison fog began clearing, drifting out of the broken window. Sasuke decided it was safe to breathe, and leapt to his feet, heading for the woman. She threw senbon at him, and he dodged, but something hit him from the side, knocking him into the wall once again. He turned to see Toh was free; he had ripped the sword from the wall, and Sasuke wondered if he was insane. With nothing plugging the wound, the man would surely die of blood loss.

Shizune came out of nowhere. Sasuke had forgotten about her. But Na threw senbon without even looking at Shizune, immobilizing the unlucky , too, had been hit by senbon. Sasuke attacked once more, forming hand seals as he barreled towards his foes. He extended his palm, and chakra coursed through it.

"ChidoORIIII!" Sasuke drove his lighting-charged hand into Toh's shoulder. But that had been exactly what the man had wanted. While Sasuke was preoccupied, Na thrust several senbon into Sasuke's major nerve points. He collapsed, paralyzed. He began losing consciousness, and he watched helplessly as Toh drove Sasuke's broken sword through Tsunade's heart. Then darkness overtook him.

* * *

**So, what'd you think? Weren't expecting that, were ya? To tell the truth neither was I. I just let the plot run. I decided to have Tsunade die, and now I have to find a way to extend the story from there. Hope you enjoyed it. Well, not enjoyed her death. That would be a little sick. I hope you liked the chapter in general. Please review! I live off of reviews. They sustain me. So please review!!!!!!!**

**Please?**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey peoplez! Sorry I haven't posted a new chapter in forever. See, I was a loser cause I hadn't watched Death Note yet. So to regain my position as an Animekami, I had to watch it, or be shamed forever. So that took me a while. Plus I got a bad case of writer's block.**

**So anyway, and welcome to Chapter Two. Okay, last we left off, Tsunade died, remember? There's your recap, now read already! AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!!! THANKS!**

* * *

Sasuke's vision was blurry, but he knew something was wrong. There were people rushing everywhere, and the air smelled of panic. He sat up and attempted to shake himself awake. Medics were leaning over him. What had happened?

Memory struck him of what had just occurred. The Hokage was dead. He leapt up, relieved that the medics had already removed the senbon from his body. Jumping out the window, he performed several hand seals.

"Ninja Art Summoning!" he mumbled, and a huge bird appeared under him. He landed on it and it flew off around the village. He was angry; his Hokage had been killed, and he was going to avenge her killers. He spotted two people down below wearing black hoods. He sent the bird into a dive and swooped towards his targets, but they spotted him and began running.

"Oh, no you don't!" he shouted, pulling up as he reached the ground. Flying low through the streets, he pursued the two assassins. Civilians ducked as he zoomed through the narrow space. He almost hit a person, and he looked back to see if they had made it out okay. Confirming their safety, he turned back around. His two enemies were gone. Vanished. He groaned in defeat, and collapsed into the bird's back. He'd pushed himself too hard after getting injured. He fell unconscious.

* * *

Toh rounded a corner, Na close behind him. He finally stopped, out of breath. They had ducked into an alley to hide, and had lost their pursuer. Sitting down behind a dumpster, Toh tried to regain his composure. Na sat beside him.

"Toh, your arm..."

"It'll be fine," he groaned. "You know how fast I heal."

"Still, you've never had your shoulder ripped apart like this before," she said worriedly. "Let me help." She started using medical ninjutsu to reconnect the torn tissues.

Toh didn't complain. He needed to be mobile again as soon as possible. There would be Konoha ninja searching for the pair soon enough, and he had to get the both of them out of the village. Normally he'd wait it out, but in his injured state he needed to put as much distance between them and the village. He sighed heavily.

"I can't believe we did that."

Na tried to comfort him. "It'll be okay. We had no choice. It was that or watch tons of people get killed."

"I know. But still."

Toh stood up. Na also stood, protesting.

"Toh, your wound!"

"It'll heal fine from there. You've already helped a bunch." He placed two fingers on his mask where his lips would've been on his face, then placed them on Na's mask at the point where her lips were. It was their way of kissing when they couldn't show their faces.

"I love you, sweetheart."

"You too, Toh."

He handed her a brown cloak, then put one on himself. "Go, Na. I'll be right behind you."

She nodded. "Be careful."

"And you as well. I have some business to settle." He then disappeared, using all the speed he possessed.

* * *

Finally, he found his target. Uchiha Sasuke. He landed behind the young man, and called out in an emotionless voice.

"Uchiha."

Sasuke spun, ready to attack. "You!"

"Easy, I just want to talk."

Sasuke charged anyway. He used Chidori, speeding towards his nemesis. He thrust his palm forward, but the man just dodged, landing a few yards away.

"I said I just want to talk." He put a hand on his dagger hilt. "Don't get me wrong, just because I spared you back there doesn't mean I won't kill you now. I didn't kill you then because you weren't our target. But if you present a threat..." Sasuke felt power rolling off Toh in waves.

"Fine," he consented. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I want to apologize."

Sasuke was dumbstruck. "Apologize?! You just killed the Hokage, and you come to apologize?!" He clenched his teeth. "You're either very stupid or just insane."

"A little insane, but insanity isn't what drives me." He exhaled deeply. "The Hokage was a good person. This was a task I did not enjoy."

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because I decided it was better to kill one person than to see many people die in war."

"What war?"

"The Hokage had a competitor for her title. His ambition would've surely crushed tons of people in order to achieve his goals."

"Who is the competitor?"

"If I told you that, you'd create the conflict we did this to avoid."

"I'm warning you-"

"No," Toh interrupted, "I'm warning you. You can have your quarrel with me, but this also involves Na. And if you so much as insult her, I will kill you where you stand." Toh emanated an incredible intent to kill that frightened even Sasuke. His whole form glowed with red chakra.

"What are you?" Sasuke growled.

"Nobody you should concern yourself with." Toh dashed away.

"Wait!" Sasuke called after him. "Godammit, I said WAIT!!!!!" But Toh was nowhere in sight. Sasuke growled in frustration. Why wasn't he strong enough to beat this guy? He was furious with himself. The Hokage's killer had been standing before him, and he couldn't do anything.

_Chill, Sasuke. Get a grip. _He forced himself to be calm. Think logically. He had information that he'd pieced together from all his encounters with the two assassins. He just didn't know where the pieces fit into the puzzle. He needed somebody to help him. _Shikamaru!_

Shikamaru was brilliant, so he might be able to make something of it. Plus he had met the pair of criminals before. Sasuke needed to find him.

* * *

"Nara!"

Shikamaru turned to see Sasuke run up to him.

"Uchiha!" Shikamaru pulled Sasuke behind a building. "Be careful. Some people are pretty pissed at you because you didn't save the Hokage. You should stay out of the public eye until this blows over."

"Never mind that," Sasuke dismissed. "I need your help."

Shikamaru sighed. "I wish I could, Uchiha, but I need to complete the investigation of the Hokage's homici-"

"That's what this is about!" Sasuke practically shouted. "I need your help with some clues about her killers!"

That caught Shikamaru's attention. "When do you want to talk?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't have time to talk. I need to investigate, too, you know." He tossed a clipboard to Shikamaru. "That's a list of all the things I noted about the assassins. Contact me when you reach a conclusion." And with that, Sasuke ran off, without another word.

Shikamaru sighed once again. "He's so impatient." He looked over the notes Sasuke had scribbled down.

_Let's see... pair of assassins. No duh._

_Male, female. Also a given._

_Hm... attacked and escaped expertly. Must have some knowledge of the village's layout._

There were also descriptions of the pair's appearances and fighting techniques, and a word-for-word documentation of Sasuke's talk with Toh. Shikamaru decided this would take some thought, and he would try to sleep on it. He excused himself from the investigation for the day, and headed home. This was so troublesome.

* * *

Shikamaru never got the chance to sleep on it. He was summoned to the Hokage's office, which made him wonder who gave the order if the Hokage was dead. He quickly headed there, trying to shake off the drowsiness he felt. When he arrived, he found several of his friends waiting there. Sakura, Neji, Lee, Sasuke, and Kiba were sitting outside, looking just as confused about the summons as he was.

"Hey, Nara," Sasuke greeted him. "Any idea what this is about?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "I'm just as in the dark as you are."

All of a sudden, the door to the Hokage's office swung open, revealing a hunched old man covered in bandages and carrying a walking staff that looked as if it were almost as old and scarred as its owner. The man had an X-shaped scar on his chin.

"I am Danzou," he said in a gravel-y but commanding voice. "I have been appointed as the 6th Hokage."

Everyone was shocked. They hadn't expected a new Hokage to be selected so quickly. It seemed the 5th Hokage had barely breathed her last breath when this man had forced his way to the head of the village.

"You six are assigned to the task of hunting down the two shinobi who killed the late 5th Hokage," Danzou continued. "They will be made to pay, and I entrust you six to do just that." Shikamaru thought he saw a slight smile cross the man's face, but it was gone almost the second it appeared.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he demanded. "Go!" He turned, muttering about the Third Hokage and his teachings being too soft. The six ninja left the office.

* * *

"What is going on?" Sakura asked, shaking her head. "That man... he wasn't... right." She shuddered. "He gave me chills."

Neji nodded solemnly. "I could feel his evil aura even without my kekkei genkai."

"What should we then do?" Lee asked. Immediately they all turned to Sasuke. He had the spirit of a natural leader, and the others rallied around him. Sasuke looked to Shikamaru for an idea, but his friend just shrugged. Sasuke sighed.

"Right now we simply follow his instructions. We can't use the accusation of someone for simply seeming evil as basis for a rebellion."

"True," Kiba remarked. "Disobeying because we don't like him would be bad."

"Alright, then," Sasuke said, trying to sound cheerful. "We'll leave in an hour. Be ready!"

* * *

An hour later, they all stood at the gate. Sasuke looked back at the village he knew so well. He made a habit to survey the village before he went on a mission, because as a ninja you never know if that mission will be your last, and that final look over your shoulder at your home would be the last you ever saw of the place. Each of his friends was packed, and they set off.

"Where do we start?" Sakura asked.

"Kiba." Sasuke looked to his friend, who was riding on Akamaru. "Try to pick up their scent." He tossed Kiba a scrap of Toh's clothes. Kiba nodded, and got Akamaru right on it.

After a short time of Akamaru sniffing the surrounding area, they found something.

"A trail!" Kiba exclaimed. "It's not too old, either!"

"Good!" Sasuke called the others together, and told them the news.

"Should we go?" Neji asked. "It could be a fake to get us off their trail. Or it could be a trap."

"Then we break through the trap with the power of youth!" Lee shouted.

Sasuke sighed. "I'm afraid it's going to take more than that to fight these guys." He touched a scar on his chest where one of Na's senbon had narrowly missed puncturing his lung. "Those two... they're incredibly strong. Far stronger than any of us. We can't rely on sheer strength and luck."

"So what do we do, then?" Neji asked.

"We follow the trail," Sasuke responded. "But very cautiously. It very well be a trap, but we have no other leads. So let's go!"

A shadowed figure in the underbrush disappeared with a poof of smoke, unnoticed by the six friends.

* * *

**So there you have it! Sorry it was a little lame, but whatever. And once again, sorry for making it so late!**

**I think I have a pretty good idea what to do next, but just in case, I'm open to suggestions. Please review!**

**Peace out!**


End file.
